BY YILMAZ OZTUNA
TURKIYE- Legislatures in 20 separate countries, out of 200 independent countries worldwide, have passed resolutions claiming that the Ottomans committed genocide against the Armenians in 1915. These resolutions have no sanction, but do serve to show political stances and benefit Armenians interests. Which 20 countries? There are many kinds, let's take a look:
Our NATO allies: Belgium, France (in its lower house, but not yet the Senate), Germany, the Netherlands, Greece and Italy - all also members of the European Union. Let's add to them Canada, another NATO ally. There are other Europeans: Sweden and Switzerland . The head of the Catholic world the Vatican . Russia and its former satellites Slovakia, Lithuania and Poland . Southern Cyprus . They are very far from us, but include small Armenian communities: Australia, Argentina, Uruguay, and Venezuela . And finally, one neighboring country, Lebanon .
Add to these 20 countries Scotland (in the form of the Edinburgh City Council). As if they have nothing to do besides debating Armenian issues .
And to complete the picture: In the US, 38 out of 50 states have passed Armenian resolutions, at a rate of one or two each year.
And now, strenuous efforts are being carried out to pass such a resolution in US House of Representatives and then the Senate.
We haven't even added up the Turks who were slaughtered in the Balkans, the Caucasus and Anatolia. We couldn't make our kin living abroad conscious of this. We haven't even noticed the hard efforts and victories of a handful of Armenians in so many countries .